|
|
What are panic attacks? Panic attacks may be symptoms of an anxiety disorder. These attacks are a serious health problem in the U.S. At least 20% of adult Americans, or about 60 million people, will suffer from panic attacks at some point in their lives. About 1.7% of adult Americans, or about 3 million people, will have full-blown panic disorder at some time in their lives, with the peak age at which people have their first panic attack (onset) being 15-19 years. Another fact about panic is that this symptom is strikingly different from other types of anxiety; panic attacks are so very sudden and often unexpected, appear to be unprovoked, and are often disabling. Once someone has had a panic attack,
for example, while driving, shopping in a crowded store, or riding
in an elevator, he or she may develop irrational fears, called
phobias, about these situations and begin to avoid them. Eventually,
the pattern of avoidance and level of anxiety about another attack
may reach the point at which the mere idea of doing things that
preceded the first panic attack triggers future panic attacks,
resulting in the individual with panic disorder being unable
to drive or even step out of the house. At this stage, the person
is said to have panic disorder with agoraphobia. Thus, there
are two types of panic disorder, panic disorder with or without
agoraphobia. Like other major illnesses, panic disorder can have
a serious impact on a person's daily life unless the individual
receives effective treatment. The symptoms of a panic attack appear suddenly, without any apparent cause. They may include * Panic Attacks Symptoms#1-Racing or pounding heartbeat (palpitations) * Panic Attacks Symptoms#2- Chest
pains * Panic Attacks Symptoms#4- Dizziness, lightheadedness, nausea * Panic Attacks Symptoms#5- Difficulty breathing, a sense of feeling smothered * Panic Attacks Symptoms#6- Tingling or numbness in the hands * Panic Attacks Symptoms#7- Hot flashes or chills * Panic Attacks Symptoms#8- Trembling and shaking * Panic Attacks Symptoms#9- Dreamlike sensations or perceptual distortions * Panic Attacks Symptoms#10- Terror, a sense that something unimaginably horrible is about to occur and one is powerless to prevent it * Panic Attacks Symptoms#11- A need to escape * Panic Attacks Symptoms#12- Nervousness about the possibility of losing control and doing something embarrassing * Panic Attacks Symptoms#13- Fear of dying Although the duration of a panic
attack can vary greatly, it typically lasts for more than 10
minutes, is one of the most distressing conditions that a person
can experience, and its symptoms can closely mimic those of a
heart attack. Typically, most people who have one attack will
have others, and when someone has repeated attacks with no other
apparent physical or emotional cause, or feels severe anxiety
about having another attack, he or she is said to have panic
disorder. A number of other emotional problems can have panic
attacks as a symptom. Some of these illnesses include posttraumatic
stress disorder (PTSD), schizophrenia, and intoxication or withdrawal
from certain drugs of abuse. |
![]() The Only Clinically Proven Drug Free Holistic System For Eliminating Panic Attacks and General Anxiety click-here now |